Secret Promise

Secret Promise

(The Rescue Princesses #1)
Paula Harrison

Princess Emily travels to the castle of Mistberg with her parents. She has finally reached the age of nine years old and is now allowed to attend the Mistberg Grand Ball. She is excited to meet the other princesses. The four princesses are soon good friends and work together as a team to rescue at little fawn. But someone evil is planting traps in the forest and none of the adults will believe the girls. The princesses must work together to solve the mystery and save the deer of Mistberg Forest. 

As the first book in the series, the plot sets the tone and introduces all of the princesses. It ends with the girls planning to keep in touch, which provides a sufficient opening for the next book in the series. The story flows well and showcases compassion for animals, team work, and trusting friends. The illustrations were lively and entertaining. Girls will be able to relate to the princesses and the story of helping others.

I received this book free of charge from Children's Lit in exchange for my honest review.

You're Wearing That to School?!

You’re Wearing That to School

Lynn Plourde

Illustrated by Sue Cornelison

Penelope is so excited about school starting tomorrow. But her best friend Tiny is more cautious and begins to give Penelope tips on how to blend in and be the same as all of her classmates, so that no one will make fun of her. Penelope decides not to take Tiny’s advice and goes to school in her flamboyant clothes. Tiny is so worried about her, but finds that being your own person is the perfect way to be. 

The story line would be a perfect fit to read to a child getting ready to enter school or a child suffering from shyness in the classroom. The illustrations are colorful and help tell the story. The messages in the story are about accepting people for who they are, learning how to make new friends, and being open to new adventures. The last page is a list of things that a child can do to feel more comfortable on their very first day of school.

I received this book free of charge from Children's Literature in exchange for my honest review.

Steps to Knowing God

Steps to Knowing, Doing and Experiencing the Will of God for Teens

Experiencing God at Home Series

Tom Blackaby, Mike Blackaby, Daniel Blackaby

 God wants you to know Him. He wants to have a very important part in your life. The Blackaby family has written another book in the series, this time directed towards teens. The book will guide teens toward a better understanding of how to bring God into their lives and experience His presence every day in their homes.

I'm not a teen, but I really enjoyed reading this book. It was interactive, refreshing, and insightful. The graphics are fun. The note section will be useful for anyone wanting to add their thoughts to the book. The practical and useful suggestions will resonate with teens wanting to do more than just listen while being preached at. I look forward to sharing this with my children when they get a little bit older.

I received this book free of charge from Shelton Interactive in exchange for my honest review.

A Melody for James

A Melody for James

Song of Suspense Book 1

Hallee Bridgeman

Years go Melody met a man, James, who saved her. But then tragedy struck and Melody's life took a completely different direction. Now years have gone by and she meets the man who she can't seem to forget. But she's lost her relationship with God and is leery of letting Him into her life again after what happened. James brings her back to him and to her Savior. But there is a madman intend of killing Melody and he seems connected to James somehow. Can their relationship and their lives survive him?

The story is romantic, suspenseful, Christian, and fun. Some of the details I expected and others were a complete surprise. But once I started reading, I didn't want to stop until I'd found out the very last detail. The author filled the story with subtle mentions of Christianity and the aspects of a relationship with Christ. It isn't preachy, but is definitely an element to the story. 

I received this book free of charge from bookfun.org in exchange for my honest review.

Whispers of the Heart

Whispers of the Heart

Learning to Listen to God

Erica Stuck

The author has struggled through many difficulties, but each one has brought her closer to God. Each time she's learned, sometimes the hard way, to listen to God whispering words of comfort to her heart. Written in a conversational tone and filled with stories, the author shows how her walk with her Savior has strengthened her heart and taught her valuable life lessons. 

Chapters include heavy subjects such as forgiveness and worry, but also touch on lighter things like bugs and friendships. The stories are interesting and the author's thoughts add a touch of personal to the chapter. It was a quick, but thoughtful read that I enjoyed.

 I received this book free of charge from Goodreads in exchange for my honest review.

Give-Away

Give-Away for

To Sing Frogs*

John M. Simmons

This is an autographed copy that the author personally signed.

Check out my review here.

I will randomly draw a name on August 5. So please leave your name and email address in the comments if you would like to be entered into the drawing. No info means no book.

Also I will provide extra entries to anyone who shares this on Facebook. Just post another comment letting me know you've shared.

*ARC copy, so cover is slightly different.

Bork Reveals The Real Deal about the Facts of Life

Bork Reveals The Real Deal about the Facts of Life

(For Boys Only!)

Terri Shearer Trenchard

Sometimes it's a little awkward to talk to your parents about personal stuff. So the author takes the embarrassing and personal things you might need answers for and has Bork tell all in this fun little book for boys.

The layout was simple and easy to read. The book was small enough so as not to intimidate, but had all of the necessary information packed into it. I appreciated the author's approach of humor, straight up facts, and encouraging the reader to open up to a trusted adult. Since I have a son who will be needing this book in the future, I plan on keeping it. Would recommend it to any family with boys.

Check out the author's website for more info.

I received this book free of charge from Firefly Marketing in exchange for my honest review.